Power transmissions incorporating mechanical-type clutches, such as synchronizers, are well known to those skilled in the art of transmission operation and design. These transmissions are commonly termed “manual transmissions”. The majority of manual transmissions employ a main shaft and one or more countershafts. Spur gears or helical gears are operatively associated with each of the main shaft and the countershafts and the gears on at least one of the shafts are fixed and the others are selectively connected with their respective shaft through a mechanical clutch, commonly termed “synchronizer”.
These countershaft-type transmissions, as they are commonly termed, employ at least one gear mesh or gear pair for each forward speed ratio and a reverse idler in another gearset. The speed ratios between the transmission input shaft and output shaft are changed by manipulating the mechanical clutches while the engine is disengaged through a main clutch. More recently, it has been proposed to employ planetary-type gearing in manual-type transmissions.